


Decline

by anaithnid_runda



Category: Hades (Video Game 2018)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Gen, M/M, Sickfic, Whump
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-16
Updated: 2021-02-12
Packaged: 2021-03-14 16:54:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,555
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28798695
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anaithnid_runda/pseuds/anaithnid_runda
Summary: Zagreus has been successful: Persephone has returned and their family is whole once again — Olympus included. The completed royal family of the Underworld lives peacefully, with no other looming threads to face. But, they have not dealt with one:Hades would not have an Heir. The Fates do not falter, nor do they ever declare a prophecy in jest. Hades would not have an heir…...Perhaps this is what they meant.(There is something different about Zagreus).[ ON HIATUS ]
Relationships: Thanatos/Zagreus (Hades Video Game)
Comments: 12
Kudos: 223





	1. I

There came a time when Zagreus couldn’t remember how many runs through the Underworld it had been since the fateful party with the Olympians. Each milestone of his career of running through his familial domain (even before it was officially his career) had him counting how many it’d been since then. He’d say to himself, _five runs since I left_ , or _three runs since I’ve beaten the Hydra_ , or _I’ve seen mother twice now_. 

Now there was only: _hey, it’s about time to test those shades!_ and then he’d go out and fight through the Underworld with ease. Even with increased difficulty that came with his father building up the weak points and changing things up for testing, Zagreus went through with no issue. He began to use the run-throughs to gather things that the House might’ve needed. He always thought to find at least a handful of things to give as gifts before he reached the surface.

Seeing Sisyphus was no longer a benefit for Zagreus, now it was a benefit for Sisyphus himself. He’d stop by the king and his boulder and give them reprieve from their lonesome toil. Meg and him would mostly have a nonchalant chat as they battled, and if it was Alecto or Tisiphone, he’d simply toy with their unique personalities. Tisiphone could speak a few more words now, if she really wanted to. Eurydice (and Orpheus) were great company for lunches. Lernie was fun to talk at. Patroclus and Achilles now often told Zagreus to stay a while and rest with them — not to heal, but to simply enjoy life (or, afterlife). Theseus started to fall from his grandiose act after all this time, though only for small moments, and Asterius carefully continued to watch the Prince and give wisdom. Cerberus was a patient boy, and now often gave his boy a kiss before running off to snack. 

His father, though, those fights were special. They’d banter constantly throughout the whole thing as they speared and slashed against each other’s fast-moving forms. They’d discuss underworld gossip (which technically counted as work), the House, and even how Persephone was doing, if she was away currently with his Grandmother. She currently was. Even without the Queen with them though, they seemed to be doing well enough, and killing each other in only the most acceptable ways. Outside of that cold clearing that served as their daily arena, the father and son were in an amicable relationship.

Healing had occurred, not only to the Underworld’s royal godly family, but as a whole to their surroundings. Zagreus continued to serve as a new main force in renovating the house and fixing any issues that occurred within it (whether directly or not, it seemed). When he finished going through one of his security checks, and Hades went back down to the House after their battle, he’d stand and look out at the forest. Demeter and Persephone seemed to be reconciled, he concluded, because as Zagreus looked out at the only part of Greece he’d ever be able to see, it started to no longer be so white and cold. 

He still couldn’t get any farther before dying again, though.

The diligent Prince of the Underworld climbed out of the pool of styx once more, not caring what number it had been, or how many more it shall be. The shades looked to him and slid to the sides of the hall, allowing him through, lest they be phased through by the godling’s physicality. He walked down atop the tombs he had commissioned, and made his way toward his father’s desk.

Hypnos jolted awake as he passed. “Oh, hey Zag! Have a nice run?” 

“It was fine, as usual.” He waved a hand to the other in one quick swoop, shooting him a smile. He continued past, and Hypnos quickly returned to looking through his lists.

His father looked up from his own parchmentwork at the sound of ruffling pages, glancing over to the laziest member of the house. It was then he saw that his son had returned. Hades put down his work on the desk and peered over it. He held no real expression until his son’s eyes locked with his, to which he gave a tight grin. “You did well out there.”

Zagreus laughed, “you in a good mood? I didn’t beat the grumpiness out you did I?”

Hades rolled his eyes. “Your mother is home. With her is that overwhelming presence of lightness, and brightness, and the lot,” he groaned, “but… one could say you too helped in a way— _beat_ the ‘grumpiness’ out, though you should know by know it is not _grumpiness_ that keeps me so vastly cold in comparison to this Underworld heat. It is like I no longer feel the absence of Persephone, even when she is gone.”

“Are you saying I now serve as an acceptable substitute for the dear Goddess of Verdure?” He grinned. “That you now love me as much as you do your dear Queen? I’m honored, sir.”

Hades gave a snort. “You know nothing of true honor, boy. Go to the lounge, already! Someone waits there for you.”

His cocky smile was swiped away to be swiftly replaced by that of brows furrowed and lips pursed. Who would be waiting there for him, and for what? And his father knows it? If it wasn’t an order from his father, he’d go out of simple curiosity. And he did go, with curiosity. 

He entered the lounge, all decorated with gifts funded by his spoils and spotless from Dusa’s toiling. Dusa wasn’t there, he saw, so it wasn’t her that was waiting for him. It was not Meg and Than, as they were not perched at a table, gossiping to each other and awaiting his arrival. The nameless Shades were all that stood here, and they were giving him no signs of acknowledgement. They simply floated within the space, lighting up in a sea of many colors that reflected off that strange ball of mirrors he commissioned for the ceiling.

The wretched broker, however, noticed him walk in and look around with intent, and gave out a bellowing groan. Zagreus turned to the sound, and saw the bulbous Shade wiggling and glancing to his side. Zagreus’ entire body rotated around and he backed away further from the entryway.

It stopped him right away, when he saw it: the featured Houseservant board. There, up on the decorated and well-kept display, was a portrait of the Prince, of Zagreus himself. That portrait was there in the lounge, waiting for the breathing, living version to come across his presence. It all made clear sense now why Hades had knew there was something here: he had honored his son. 

He honored his son. He was proud of him.

Zagreus smiled, almost reluctantly. His lips were tense and firm, and would not curve farther than a slight tilt away from a straight line. Soon, though, his emotions all rushed in at once, and he let out a laugh, and he crouched to the floor. His hands messily covered his cheeks — his red blood coursing through beneath them, turning them pink — and his teeth shone through his beaming smile.

He’d come so far, and just now realized that he’d achieved something he didn’t know he didn’t have. Of course, that did once apply to Persephone. She was the mother he didn’t know he had, but he did eventually learn the truth. He got her back because he had learned she existed, and he wanted her. Yet, this? There were times in his life he knew that his father did not particularly care for him, and never once did he ever feel that his father _loved_ him. It was obvious. Hades had been left with a son he did not want in a House where his company was people he hired and confided in as a choice. Now, Zagreus was apart of the House. He belonged. And he was happy with how he fit. No longer was he outcast, nor felt like he was out of place within the ever-churning gears of the Underworld. He never knew that he didn’t have that satisfaction of feeling complete. The House was truly complete.

Zagreus stood again, still smiling, but he was composed. He looked to the wretched broker again, and the Shade gave him a big toothy smile. Zag’s smile went toothy too, as he ran out the lounge.

Nyx stood right across the hall from where he exited, in her corner amongst the purple flowers in their ornate vases. She must have noted Zagreus’ dumb expression, filled with unspoken, racing thoughts, and said, “congratulations, child. Your efforts have been noticed.”

Zagreus let out a breath of air. He stopped and rested his shoulders. “I wouldn’t call it an effort. Really, it’s nothing to me now.”

“But have you not given effort into becoming stronger? Once, not long ago, you persisted in getting farther and farther even when you failed. Now, all that time spent has given you this ease. The past has not been wasted. Neither has this acknowledgement of all you have been through.”

“I suppose you’re right, Nyx.” He looked to the left, towards the other halls. “I should go see if mother is all settled in.”

She nodded to him as he headed for the other side of the house. “May it be a first of many, child.”

Achilles had been with Patroclus in Elysium the last time he was there (only a few minutes ago) and so he was not at his post in front of the mirror. Zagreus entered his parent’s bedchambers undetected, though it no longer mattered. He still had a habit to check his surroundings though.

“Mother!” 

Persephone turned from facing the bed to face her son instead. She smiled, holding her old white chiton in her hands, having just replaced them with the underworld garb. Her blonde hair was still down. “Oh, hello Zagreus. Did you just get back from a run?”

“A bit ago, yes,” he said, and smiled, thinking of the events in between then and now, “but father had me go check something before I came to see you.”

She giggled, “what’s with that smile, son? You look strange, having that goofy look pinned to your face.”

“ _Pinned_ and _face_ are apt to describe the situation, I feel. Father, he has my portrait on the board— the featured Houseservant board! It’s in the lounge, you’ve seen it, haven’t you? Usually someone like Thanatos or Megaera or Achilles are up there, not someone like me. I think father’s actually warming up to me, as someone useful— as someone who exists and isn’t just some pest.”

Persephone clicked her tongue. “Oh, Zagreus. I’m sorry.”

He frowned, and furrowed his brows deeply. “What!? Why?”

“I’m sorry the thing that made you feel like this is that silly board. It certainly shows he cares and is proud of you, but you shouldn’t talk to yourself like this.”

“What do you mean? I’m happy about this. I’m happy! I swear to you, I thought I might have cried in the lounge amongst all those shades when I saw it.”

“No, it’s good you’re happy but…” She looked to him, clutching his upper arm. “I want you to know that your love and worth isn’t tied to your work. Hades is getting better at loving you like a child should be loved, but it’s not because of you testing out the Underworld’s security, and being good at it. It’s because he’s learning who you are. You existed before all this, and him being cross with you isn’t your fault.”

“I…” Zagreus avoided his mother’s gaze, looking to the ground, to his side. He paused for a elongated moment, and his mother let him. “...I just wanted to tell you something good that happened to me.”

“I… I am sorry too. It’s just, the way you spoke about it. It was very deprecating, towards yourself. I don’t think you even notice it. Perhaps it’s all those years not being able to see you grow up, I worry sometimes, about what you think… and how long you’ve thought it. Do you think of Thanatos, Megaera, and Achilles as people who are better than you? When you say ‘ _just some pest’_ , do you think of yourself as that often? As a mother, I worry. I’m sad for you, when I think of all those years I still don't know about.”

“I don’t think they’re better than me, mother, I just think they’ve worked so hard for so long and have years on me doing anything for this house. They’re always up there, being highlighted and praised. Now I’m up there, too. And I know I’m no pest— I’m not! Father is… father was just always on about— “

“ —What does that _mean_ , though, Zagreus? What does Achilles working so hard have anything to do you? Do you love Thanatos and Megaera because of their toiling? Do you think that going up there and besting your father again and again makes him love you more? Is that really the cause? Because it’s not. And if it is, it shouldn’t be. He should’ve loved you like he loved me. You’re my son.”

Zagreus growled, “enough of this. It’s just a board.”

“It’s not! Not to you! And good for you, for being proud of yourself— you should! If it makes you feel better, ignore the ramblings of a concerned, regretful mother.” She attempted a smile, though it was hollow and her eyes gave it all away. She kissed him on his forehead. “You give so much to us. It’s only right we give to you.”

Zagreus returned a smile, but like his mother, his eyes told a different story. They seemed like they were focused elsewhere. She pulled him into a hug, and he rested his hands on her back gently.

They stood like that for a while: her holding her old chiton, him wrapped around her arms. He was the one to make the choice to let go.

“I need to go. I’ve got something to do.”

“Alright.”

He turned away and left the bedchambers, leaving Persephone to stand there and sigh. She grabbed her hair, and finally began to tie it up, all while eyeing the form of her son, slowly leaving her sight.

Zagreus wordlessly went through the halls of the House of Hades, and entered his own bedchambers. And left his bedchambers. 

It was time to do another run. 


	2. II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has been finished for a bit, I suppose, but I just now finally put finishing touches on it. Thank you all for reading what I consider to be my own personal guilty pleasure escapes!

The run was eventful, so far. The wretches were not an issue, the heat felt more like a stagnant warmth, and the boons of the Olympians were being charitable to the stygian blade. Zagreus came across neither Sisyphus nor Eurydice, but that wasn't bothering him— working through the foes one after the other with ease felt better if it was consistently ongoing. There was a satisfaction to cutting through what to him was mere boards in the way of the exit.

He entered Elysium with the same mindset he'd entered the rest of the chambers before him: there was nothing of value to him here, right now. There was no need for anymore assistance, he'd rather just give the blade more Shades to dull its sides. Perhaps the blessing given by Ares had given him a bloodlust— but no, that wasn't it. It wasn't the victory, or the sending of the wretches back to resting eternally. It was about the motions.

The stygian blade was made for him. Not truthfully, but the pieces he was given had eventually formed into something that seemed to acknowledge the man who was now wielding it. Achilles gave him the pieces, but he reconstituted it, and it showed. Now Stygius told Zagreus what it desired through the way that the slashes felt sliding across the backside of an Underworld fiend. It was symbiotic, in the same way a chef's skillet and wrist become one.

Zagreus ended the chamber with a blink. The blade was pointed out in front of him, and he stared at it's red sheen as he fluttered his eyelids open and close. There was a heaviness within this chamber, something off. There was a strong smell, piercing through his nose. Perhaps one of the now-defeated Shades had some sort of perfume, somehow? 

He rested his shoulder. It could've also been the remnants of Dionysus leaving his boons for him. The likelihood that that God was drunk at any given moment was high, so why wouldn't it have been the overwhelming stench of lingering wine. That was a good enough assumption, and another reason to move through quickly lest a fog develop and begin to hurt Zagreus as much as it did the wretches.

The next room or two were uneventful. Eventually, though, the bell tolled and sent a tinge of green to spread and engulf the room.

“Than!” 

The God of Death appeared out of a puff of darkness, as he did. He wore a smile, the typical one he had that was so small but so unlike him that it was obvious it existed when it did. Plus, it was the special configuration that Nyx and Hypnos and Persephone and _especially_ all-knowing Aphrodite knew was specifically for Zagreus.

"You seem tense. Didn't you just do a run? I never knew you to be so diligent, but of course I can only assume you derive pleasure from taking time out of your father's day to spar." Thanatos spun his scythe around, preparing for the contest.

In a way, one could say Zagreus was tense. That sharpness in his nasal cavities didn't seem to be connected to that strange smell, considering he no longer smelt anything but the usual clean cut greens of Elysium, and it just proceeded to grow more and more pressured as time went on. He tossed it aside as a mere sign he was overdoing it a bit with the whole _Stygius hungers for the feeling of cutting up bodies_ and needed to take a break with Charon soon. Or maybe he'd seek out Patroculus, and Achilles if he was still there (which was likely).

"Well, I wanted to keep everyone on their toes." A lie, but a half-truth too. "I'll rest after this one, I swear. Perhaps we can meet when all is said and done and share that rest. You're one to gauge my habits when yours are the complete opposite."

"It has to be that way for me, just in the same way your unpredictability is your asset." Than efficiently twirled and held his wrist still as the wretches arose. "Good luck."

Zag gave him a nod, and they were off. The blade cut left and right across the front cone of Zag's body, and went in and out of the wretches' strange corporeal forms, not unlike that of carving out designs in a tree's trunk.

Meanwhile, the scythe flourished after each toll, erasing the target instantly to go back whence it came. The task was, and had always been, more menial than that of the state of Zag's current work. Than slowed his strikes, and looked to the other.

He continued with the blade with no issues, tossing foes aside like the insignificant obstacles they were to him. He flourished Stygius in a similar manner that Than did with his scythe, rotating it by the hilt and rolling around his wrist, fingers weaving. 

"I think you're sloppy, Zag," he yelled, in jest of course. "I can tell you're not putting your all into this."

"Oh please," Zag huffed in reply, talking loudly over the sounds of many different clashes and movements, "you can talk all you want, since all you do is barely look at a thing and it dies."

"Sure. Maybe. But it's clean."

"Well yeah, the dirty job is Ares' problem." Zag skewed a spearman. "And mine now, I suppose."

"You don't deal with those that are still alive, Zag. It's much different then. You've got no clue how dirty it can be, even for me." He turned to face a Chariot. "We're almost done. Let's get this over with already."

He marked the beast, then went back to glance at Zagreus. He was toothy-grinned, completely focused in the slashes he dealt to the wretches. 

He didn't ever seem to notice how silly he looked— Zagreus... He held himself like a Prince, yes (somehow despite everything), but he focused so deeply into things sometimes that it was obvious that he was so new to the world in general. His body made mistakes but since his head was so enraptured in the moment he was in, he balanced himself through it all. 

Thanatos felt that in his actions, he had to think of each move he made as he worked. It didn't help that he wasn't so… physical as compared to Zagreus in how he operated. There was no need for contact for him to do his work. He needs only his concentration and scythe and gifts received from being his mother's child. 

Perhaps it was too obvious to him that Zagreus had some mortality in his red-tinged blood.

“ — _Aaaagh!_ “

Thanatos was taken out of his thoughts. His head shot to the source of the agonized cry: Zagreus.

Where he was once perfectly fighting in a steady slick stream of hits, he was now stumbling, almost losing the grip he held on his blade. His other hand was held to his head, and he wobbled, struggling to regain his posture with both feet firm on the ground. During these few moments of vulnerability, a shade managed to pierce his abdomen with his spear, which did nothing to improve his state of attempting to regain his balance.

Thanatos lurched forward towards the other. “ _Zagreus!_ ” he yelled.

Zagreus failed to stay up, and stumbled to the ground. His torso and chiton had been skewered and now was an incoherent mess gathering around the wound, his chiton soaking up the red blood that was leaking out. He held himself up at the knees and palms, but his arms were weak with tremors. His whole body lost any adrenaline and desire to continue. He toppled over to lay on the ground.

All wretches took this opportunity with great pride, as it was their chance to turn the tides.

Thanatos’ eyes shot to the gathering wretches. The scythe almost flew out of his hands, but he managed to twirl it around and mark the lot of them for death. He glided over, and gave one swipe to remove them all. 

He turned back to Zagreus. Unmoving, he laid on the ground bleeding out, and there was nothing to indicate that he was doing anything to stop it. Only Thanatos could see it, but there was also no indication that the Prince was going to get any farther out of the Underworld tonight.

He knelt down next to him— ceasing his hovering— and slipped one arm under his upper back. Zag's upper body was raised up from the ground, and it was clear from his complete limpness that he was to be taken by the Styx soon. Taken by _him_.

Than supposed they would having that rest together sooner than expected.

"Oh, Zagreus. What happened to you?"

— 8 —

Zagreus jolted awake with a deep breath. He did not step out of the pool one foot after the other like he routinely did before. He sat there and studied the ceiling of the house for a moment before gathering where exactly he was. It was after that did he groan and stand up.

He slowly climbed up the few stairs there were with his head held down. One of his hands rose to grab it by one of his eye sockets, pressing his palm against his brow and rubbing near his temple. He did not pay even the slightest bit of attention to his surroundings to see that the Shades did not move out of his way, but instead only stared at him and moved when absolutely necessary.

Hypnos jumped awake once again, and looked at his list. "Ah, Zagreus? Again? Wow— you sure did get bombarded with those shades up in Elysium huh? Not the best work you've done recently, that's for sure." 

He looked to the Prince, still slowly moving down the hall. It was not what he was expecting, so he frowned upon the sight. "You feeling alright there?"

"What? Oh." Zagreus finally managed to look up a bit. "Yeah, just a bit sore 's all."

"Maybe try slowing down next time. I just saw you not too long ago and you were fine!"

He winced. "I think I'll do that."

The lights were getting to him here. Gods, why were there so many colors and bright lights in the entrance hall? It was the Underworld… couldn't it be darker? Somehow now it was all becoming clear to him that it was all so overwhelming and hurt to look at. 

His free hand shot up to attempt to shield his free eye from the brightness in a way that wouldn't make it obvious that he was annoyed (and in a way where he could walk straight). He'd just go to his room, it was dark in there…

The east wing was as far as he got before green filled the area and his ears were met with a sound too sudden and loud for his liking. His face cringed, and Thanatos appeared. Nyx, in the corner, watched the strange sight unfold before her.

"You," Thanatos almost clearly growled, but upon fully looking at Zagreus he reverted back to his more monotonous inflection, "look terrible? Do you… still feel poorly even after waking up from the Styx?"

"I'm fine." His hands told another story, as they were both squeezing the sides of his head in an attempt to remove the ringing that remained inside. "It's just so bright in here right now."

Than furrowed his brows. "It's… bright? It's how its always been lit in the House: it's just candlelight and stupid colorful décor. Zag, you like the brightness— You bought all these things _for_ the house and would go on about how you were finally happy to see some life in here. I'm the one who is supposed to hate the brightness. What's wrong?"

"Can we just… go in my room now?" He didn't even wait for an answer, he just started to head into his chambers without even a glance to the other two figures around him.

Thanatos met his mother's eyes. They were full of curious concern, and seemed to ask him what was going on. Than simply shook his head, and followed behind Zag.

Zagreus went straight to his bed, and plopped right on top of it, face first into his pillow. His arms rested from being up at his face, and laid at his side. One hand moved to slide under his pillow, bringing pressure between it and his forehead.

"I'm starting to feel as if an ache has filled your head." Than folded his arms and sat on his partner's bed.

"I th'nk 'u're 'ight," he replied, words muffled by the pillow.

"But… What happened? Out there, in Elysium? Do you still feel what happened to you? This has not happened before."

Zagreus moved his head to speak clearly. "It hasn't… I've felt perfectly reborn before— but this time… I had not gotten hit by anything, I'm certain of it. I was just fighting when suddenly this piercing pain shoots right through my skull as if one of those Shades had skewered it. It was agony, my entire body went weak from it."

"It caught you so off guard it allowed you to die?"

"It took all the concentration from me. I had no power left in me to focus on where I was in relation to everything else, let alone where all those wretches were," he sighed, "they _devoured_ me for that mistake."

"It was not your mistake. There was no sign that you would suddenly get what seems to be a migraine in the midst of our little contest."

Zagreus thought for a moment. "But… there was. I think it must have been the boon I received from Dionysus. The smell was so strong it hurt to smell, and that feeling lingered for rooms. It must have set in as we fought together."

"Or, you were already being overworked for the day and that was not going to help your case. Perhaps there was truth to my taunts: maybe you _were_ tense. It is not just the muscles that tire."

"Maybe you're right Than." Zagreus rolled on to his back. "I would say… that I may have been tense before I left the House for that run anyways."

"Good. Then you know not to do work next time when you feel like this. And Hades knows that anyone tense will not fare well trying to escape the already inescapable."

Zagreus' eyes shot open. "Oh, my father…"

Thanatos looked to him with piercing eyes. "—Will be fine with this. He wants you to not escape. What's this to any other time you've failed?"

"I haven't failed since… since I was going to look for my mother. It's not exactly a satisfying success on his part."

“Considering you’d just done a run, I’m sure he doesn’t mind the break.”

Zagreus huffed, “what if you failed?”

“What?” The other raised a brow.

“What if it was you that had failed in your task? You wouldn’t, of course— you’re Thanatos— but what would you think?”

“Zagreus, I would be much more concerned about the circumstances of why I had failed in the same way you should be looking at the fact you had a sudden pain due to your negligence. Anything can happen to anyone of us: Megaera, Nyx, Hades, me, _you_! What matters is you learn something from it. And please, shut up, you haven’t failed. It’s near impossible to fail your task. All you do is fight and either you win or you don’t. This time you didn’t. It’s not that big a deal.”

He stayed silent as Than stood. “Please, Zag. Just rest for now, and this shall go away. All you have to do is relax. You can do that— you’re _Zagreus_.”

He left nothing behind except silence and a flash of green, as per usual, but what happened when he left so suddenly is that he was unable to see the look on Zag’s face as he thought to himself, _but what if it happens again?_


	3. III

Zagreus had slept peacefully after Than had left. So peacefully, in fact, that he had no clue that Nyx and Persephone had come into his room to see how he was doing, and silently left to talk to each other in another empty room. He even slept through that, lowering any chance of him hearing them discuss what they’ve seen of him that day. 

He awoke to a dark room. Darker than he usually had it, but in all truth it was as he’d left it while his head was still pounding and irritated from anything resembling brightness. All things considered, the rest had removed all that ailed him. He felt refreshed and normal. 

So he did another run.

He didn’t take the sword, Stygius, this time. Instead he took Varatha, that spear his father once held, and leapt down in front of the gate to the House. A gift from Artemis, Athena, and a few gifts for later, and he reached the end of Tartarus. 

Charon was oblivious to the happenings of the previous two days (and nights?) and simply gave some guttural groans to Zagreus as he bought some food in preparation for the fight in the next chamber. Thanatos did not gossip to his brothers, especially about the prince. He’d say it was for integrity, but Charon knew that it was because of his love of not only his job but of his partner.

Zagreus entered the chamber where an Erinyes would be awaiting him, silently wondering who it would be. Last time (the run where he perished in Elysium in Than’s arms) it had been Tisiphone. If he was yet again in that flow state holding Stygius, he might have thought about begging the Fates for Alecto. She would have been glad to give him… the _movement_ he had desired. 

He did not beg for anyone in particular this time, but despite that, he still got the one person he had yet to think of: Megaera. He walked into the middle of the chamber and stood there, holding Varatha firm in both of his hands. 

“Hello Zagreus.” Meg rested her weight on one foot, looking down at her whip as she twirled it in her hands. “It’s been a while.”

“Has it?” He raised a brow. “I’m sure I’ve seen you around in the past few days. Have you been busy?”

“Not particularly— I wouldn’t call having a chat with Death about a prince’s migraine to be anything worth while. I wouldn’t call gossiping in general to be anything productive… but still it found it’s way into my work. When did you wake up?”

Well, Thanatos did not gossip to his brothers, but evidently he did to the Furies.

"Just before I came out here to see you, actually! Consider this a morning run to get the blood moving."

She took a deep breath and sighed. "You just going to ignore all that? Thanatos seemed to act like it was concerning."

"Can we just begin fighting?" He twirled the spear and prepared for battle.

She hit the whip against the ground and spread her single wing. "We can," she said, "if you promise not to faint."

He growled and ran forward, aiming to skewer her with the tip of the spear. She bolted out of the way, causing him to slide on his bare feet, sparks jumping up in the air.

"It's really no big deal Meg!" he yelled, turning on his heel, "it was just a mistake on my part, really."

"It was your mistake that you got a headache that led to your death?" She whipped the ground at his feet.

He jumped, throwing the spear. "No, my mistake was what led to the headache. We had discussed it— Than and I—" 

Meg was clipped in the side by Varatha, causing her to yelp and her chiton to gain a large tear. She bared her teeth at him.

"—Which I figured he wouldn't just go off and tell everyone…" Zag gave a pant as the spear returned to his hands.

"He was concerned. As am I." She sent wretches after him, as she readied her whip for a hard lashing. "It is unusual for pain to linger after awakening again. It has never happened to me. You are different Zagreus. Perhaps it is something to be concerned about."

He spun and pierced the giant wretches that had spawned in. His eyes locked on Meg as he came to a halt, and he pounced at her, throwing his arm forward to skewer her leg. It went straight through, clean.

She howled, and swung her whip at him, causing it to send a crack echoing throughout the chamber.

He dodged out of the way, sliding on the slick floor. "I can fully explain it," he panted, "thus no need for concern."

"Really? You can explain it? I'd love to hear _that_ explanation, Zagreus."

"It's a bit private," he said as he threw the spear once more, "thus I hoped Than wouldn't just go tell all about it. But thoughts linger longer than they should, is what I'll say."

She attempted to run out the way of the spear, but it yet again clipped her and threw her off. She went for his ankle as she threw out the whip, and successfully wrapped it around his leg. He was pulled on to his back, hitting the ground with a thud.

“You thinking too much?” she laughed, “well, better than the other option.”

Zagreus, through clenched teeth, sat up and said, "I believe we're done here."

Meg looked him in his heterochromic eyes. Varatha flew from behind her and _through_ her to reach his outstretched palm. Her hand went up to the hole in her torso.

"I'll see you at the house…" She groaned, falling into the Styx. 

"Yes," he said, standing and brushing off his clothing, "and it won't be soon."

— 8 —

The rest of the chambers— Asphodel, Elysium, the Temple— were a breeze. He avoided Dionysus, a unspoken apology floating in his mind the moment he chose Athena _again_ over his beloved cousin and friend, and all went well. He was back to feeling like he had the run before last.

Outside, at the entrance of the Temple of Styx, it was still snowing and cold. Far out in the distance did the climate begin to cease being the infinite winter in favor of the warmth of spring. Around the far edge of the Temple, however, it would always remain white. A white that would be tainted with stains of red on intermittent occasions. 

The immediate area around the entrance that was Hades and Zagreus' arena held snow that was forever crisp and sizzled underneath their burning feet. However, with the newfound trips to the surface that Queen Persephone took, a border began to develop. There, the snow melted and the trees grew leaves. It left them a well defined circular area surrounding the temple.

Hades stood facing the river, as usual. Across it laid purest, crisp, healthy green grass, no longer touched by the hand of Demeter. It was like another world, separated by only the stream.

Zagreus planted his feet firmly within the snow beneath him, holding up his spear so that its point faced the sky. His father turned around, but did not release his robe.

"I heard from Persephone that you saw the board, boy."

Oh right. That had only been yesterday, before all that… _trouble._

Zagreus nodded. Internally, his partly-mortal heart began to beat faster, remembering in detail the conversation they had. "What did she say?" His voice shook, though not enough for anyone but himself to notice.

Hades' expression did not change, though he seemed to pause for a moment to think— about what, Zagreus could not tell. "Only spoke of her pride, and how she saw how much it meant to you. I am happy that it brings you joy. Just keeping working as you do, Zagreus."

Evidently he had not seen the report of the previous run yet, or was choosing to ignore it. Either way was fine for now, considering Zagreus felt a sudden panic thinking about having to address it right now, to his father specifically.

"Now, let us begin."

Hades threw off his cape and summoned his personal spear. He dashed off into invisibility, leaving Zagreus to collect himself and enter his own fighting stance.

Hades' footsteps appeared in the snow with a soft crunch, crunch accompanying them. Zagreus twisted around and made sure to dash out of the way in time for Hades to become visible again. He threw Varatha at his father, hitting him in the leg.

The spear returned to him and ran closer, repeatedly piercing his father's flesh. In return, Hades swung his own spear in an arc, but Zag was able to dodge with ease.

The fight went on as it usually did. Zagreus relaxed through his fighting. He began to laugh again, mischievous in his moves as he sparred with his father. Hades did not hold back. Twice he caught his son off-guard and sliced his side, causing him to give out a single chuckle that echoed in the clearing.

Zagreus eventually brought Hades to his knees with a backstab. He rose again, and they began the final stretch. And that too went fine, for a bit.

Hades summoned a beam of fiery light, and Zagreus dove behind a rock. He panted, finally able to rest for a moment in the few minutes they'd been at it. When the bright red tint coloring the area disappeared, Zagreus tightly grasped Varatha once again and ran out.

What he didn't notice was that mist traps rose from below immediately following the beams. He ran out from his rock only to be met with the green mist suddenly surrounding him and barely visible hands grabbing at his ankles. He was frozen in place, his head whipped backward from the sudden loss of momentum. It was then his eyesight began to shift.

Hades was coming towards him, but it seemed so unsure. Unclear. The mist subsided and he was left standing in a different clearing than the one he entered. The edges of things were soft, and the light that jumped off from the bright snow seemed to streak across the air in thin lines.

He threw his spear at his Father, hitting him quite nicely near the pelvis. He called it back, and the spear flew into his fingers instead of his palm. They bent back a bit more than they should've, leaving a dull ache ringing in his knuckles.

Stumbling, he ran towards where the other rock was, making sure to avoid any mist traps. The objects in his vision began to blur, and his heart skipped a beat. Was he having another migraine? No— no… it wasn't that. His head did not feel heavy nor congested with the smells of drunkness or stress. Instead it felt airy, and light, and the only aches that were even near there was a slight annoyance behind his eyes. That, however, was easily explained by the amount he had to concentrate to decipher what he was seeing. It was all blurry. And it was getting worse.

He shook his head and rubbed one of his eyes with his free hand. Upon opening them again he saw that it just made the streaks of light bouncing off certain things worse. 

His heart rate did _not_ like the series of events he'd gone through in the past twenty-four hours. He breathed through his nose. It must have just been the damn mist. His father was improving. Good for him. 

He would wait and see if he wanted to write this in his report later.

Hades came up next to him and went for a slash. Zagreus jumped at the sight of him, but not in time or in a way that would lead to a successful dodge. His leg was grazed. He dashed off to recenter himself, and yet again ran into another trap.

It didn't make his eyesight worse, at the very least. He blinked and saw the soft form of his father chasing after him, as he was still planted in place by the hands from below. The giant spear was thrust at him, and he found himself with a large wound now in his torso.

" _Damn_!" he yelped. He threw his spear once more and had it returned (all successfully this time), causing his father to stumble.

It was an opportunity to run around for a backstab, but he just couldn't take it. Zagreus was too focused on trying to focus his eyesight on the next step, and it was all just a blur. Objects started to double up, creating phantoms at their sides. His feet could not plant themselves firmly on the ground. He wobbled.

His father laughed, rushing up with his arm wound up behind his back, ready to strike. Zag could only fall on his left side, watching everything in his vision slowly become less and less like complex forms and more like different colors of bright circular lights. 

He could see the form of his father's spear as it went into his chest. It was so clear, right up in front of him. He couldn't see the shifting expression on his father's face. Instead it was a blur of darkness against bring whites and blues, eventually being overtaken by burning red as Zag fell into the Styx.

His eyes remained open as he was taken. It was ironic that the trip was his moment of clarity, where his heart reset and his mind returned to coherency. Of course, the fact it no longer took all his power to register what he was seeing helped. The red simply overtook him, and filled all his senses. 

It was red. The thick, bloody river could receive little light, if any, but it was still red. A darkness that was red, and you could feel it was red. You could hear it was rushing and gurgling and red. You could taste the metallic red. You could smell the red as it floods the nostrils.

Zagreus no longed begged the fates for luck in chambers or to see friends in the lounge, or that his Mother came home safely after visiting family. He no longer felt any desire to beg for his father's approval, or to see Achilles smile at his progress, or to hear Nyx's wisdom. His only thought in his head was pleading to the cruel fates that he rise from the pool in the House and see something other than a bright incoherent mess of darkness, light, and most importantly, anything but red.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am putting this story on Hiatus for a bit while I write a massive ton of it. When I return, it should be a smooth weekly update until it is done. :)


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